Mastering the Trade by John F. Carter Summary
Overview of Mastering the Trade
Discover why John F. Carter's "Mastering the Trade" remains a trading bible since 2005. This practical guide, endorsed by CNBC regular Carter himself, transforms market chaos into opportunity. What's the one psychological shift that separates profitable traders from the 90% who fail?
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Key takeaways
The Psychology Behind Every Market Move
Imagine placing a bet on a horse race. Canadian researchers discovered that bettors become significantly more confident in their horse's chances immediately after placing their bet - though nothing about the horse has actually changed. This psychological shift explains why markets move not because of economic reports or news headlines, but because of human pain and suffering. When enough traders get trapped on the wrong side of a position, their eventual capitulation creates the major market moves that professionals anticipate and exploit. This uncomfortable truth forms the foundation of profitable trading according to John F. Carter's "Mastering the Trade." The moment you place a trade, your psychology fundamentally changes, and your objectivity diminishes instantly - especially when your position size is too large. Consider "Joe Trader" watching his position collapse. Despite being deeply negative, he initially maintains composure and decides to wait for a retracement. The stock continues falling, and Joe's weekend is consumed by anxiety. By Monday, his original $27.80 entry now trades at $14.02, and he finally sells for a devastating $27,560 loss. In a desperate move, he immediately reverses direction, only to watch the market rally and stop him out for another $27,160 loss. Meanwhile, "Joanne Trader" used a disciplined approach on the same stock and walked away with over $45,000 in profits.
The Four Phases Every Trader Must Navigate
Reading the Market's Hidden Language
The Opening Gap: Your First Opportunity Each Day
The Squeeze: Capturing Explosive Market Moves
Your Trading Business Plan: The Foundation of Success
The Professional Trader's Mindset
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"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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